Roller-shelving and cloth-measurer combined



Patented Sept. 6, I898. T. F. APPERSON & C. H. DORSEY. ROLLER SHELVING AND CLOTH MEASUREB COMBINED.

{Application filed Dec. 7, 1896.)

2 Sheets$heet l.

9% IJVV GAZZ? 1;, QV/M m izz/ TVITJVESSES No. 6l0,5l0. Patented Sept. 6, I898.

T. F. APPERSON &. C. H. DORSEY. ROLLER SHELVING AND CLOTH MEASURER COMBINED.

(Application filed Dec. 7. 1896.) {N0 Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

.Attorney w: nnnnnn Ps'rzas co, vnorauman WASNINGTQN, n c.

' invented certain new and useful Improve UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

ROLLER-SHELVING AND CLOTH-MEASURER COMBINED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 610,510, dated September 6-, 1898.

Application filed December 7, 1896. Serial No. 614,806. (No model.) I

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS F. APPER- SON and CHARLES H. DORSEY, citizens of the United States, residing at Poetry, in the county of Kaufman and State, of Texas, have ments in Roller-Shelving and Oloth-Measu rer Combined {and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in store-fixtures, and has more particular relation to cloth bolting and measuring devices.

The invention consists of certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, all of which will be hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a perspective View, partly broken away, of the fixture embodying ourinventionr, Fig. 2 represents a central vertical section through our said improvement on the line of the meas: uring-roller. Fig. 3 represents an enlarged detail end elevation of the end of the auxiliary frame carrying the operating-gear and registering mechanism. Fig. 4. represents an enlarged detail vertical section through one end of one of the spring-rollers. Fig. 5 represents an enlarged perspective view of one of the roller-supporting arms. Fig. 6 represents an enlarged front elevation of the gear-supporting casting and registering-gears. Fig. 7 represents a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 8 represents a horizontal section, partly broken away, through the auxiliary frame on the line of the measuring-rollers. Fig. 9 rep resents a central vertical section through said frame on the line of the winding-roller. Fig. 10 represents an enlarged detailend elevation of the end of one of the spring-rollers. Fig. 11 represents a central vertical transverse section through one of the supportingarms and the ends of the two spring-rollers applied thereto; and Fig. 12 represents a detail central vertical section through the gearsupporting casting, illustrating the spring for returning the supporting-arm to its normal position.

A in the drawings represents the main of any desired material and construction and comprises a base a and vertical end standards a, horizontal bars a a connectin the upper and lower ends of said standards, and adjustable bracket-supporting bars er The said horizontal bars a a are provided with a plurality of spaced apertures of, by means of which said bars a may be adjusted thereon by a suitable pin connection, so as to accommodate the varying lengths of cloth. The roller-supporting brackets a are mounted upon the end standards ct and the said bars a and each comprises grooved notched bars a a adapted to receive the journaledends of the rollers C. A pivoted rod a is mounted'between the sections a a of each bracket and is provided with a laterally-projecting wing a. A suitable handle is mounted upon said rod a so that the wing a may be turned down firmly against the journaled end of the roller, if so desired. (See Figs. 5 and 11.) Each of saidrollers O is provided with an axle c, that passes through the center of the same, said axle at one end being angular, as at 0, so that when the wing a is turned down against said angular portion the axle will be prevented from rotating. A coiled spring 0 is mounted in the roller and has one end connected to said axle c and the other to said roller, so that when the said axle is rotated the spring is put under tension. A pivoted rod 0 providedwith a locking-Wing similar to the rod a is mounted upon the end of the roller, so as to becapable of being turned to bring the wing into contact with the angular portion of the shaft to prevent the turning of theshaft in said rollers.

. By the above-described construction cloth wound upon the roller 0 may either be entirely withdrawn from the same or the rollers maybe so set as topermit only a verysmall portion of the cloth to be withdrawn and to immediately rewind said cloth when thepressure upon the same is relaxed. When it is desired to altogether remove the cloth from the roller, the pivoted rod 0 is turned so as to prevent the rotation of the axle or shaft in the roller and the rod a turned so as to permi t the rotation of the journal in the sup- The cloth may now be roller so that any cloth pulled therefrom willbe instantly rewound upon relaxation of the 7 pressure, the rod is rotated so as to carry same.

its wing out of contact with the shaft 0 and the rod (1, is rotated so as to bring its wing into contact with the angular shaft. If the cloth be now pulled from the roller 0, the retation of said roller will wind the spring a and thus when the cloth is released it will be immediately rewound upon the roller because of the tension of the spring. The rollers are normally left in this latter position so that customers may readily pull a portion of the cloth from the roller to examine it, said cloth being immediately rewound upon being released.

ceive the wheels 5, mounted upon the under side of the auxiliary frame B, so that said frame may he slid along over the frame A to any point upon the same. This frame B oomprises a base-plate b and vertical standards 11 arranged at the opposite ends of the The measuring-rollers D D have their journaled ends mounted in standards 5 so as to rotate freely within the same. ward one of rollers D has its respective journaled ends at d mounted in a horizontal slot 11 formed in the respective standard 22 It will thus be observed that the forward roller bear against suitable plates 5 secured to the edges of the standard 6 over the open ends of the slots. The apertured journaled ends at are each provided with an arm (:1 loosely mounted thereon, said arms projecting forward and being connected with the front edges of the forward standard 19 by a crossbar If. By this construction the front roller D may be drawn away from the rear roller to permit the insertion of the end of the cloth between said rollers by simply grasping the cross-bar b and pulling out upon the same against the tension of the coiled springs b When the said cross-bar b is released, the spring returns the front roller to its normal position and clamps the cloth firmlybetween said rollers. The movement of the cloth will now cause the rollers to revolve and indicate the amount passing between the same upon the registering device F. This device comprises a supporting-casting), in one end of which the journaled end d of the rear rollerD is mounted. Said journal is provided with a spurgear dithat meshes with a large gear-wheel f The for-' journaled upon the said casting f. This gearwheel f is inturn provided with a spur-gear f which meshes with the large gear-wheel also journaled upon said casting fby means of a shaft f The end of the shaft f upon the opposite side of the casting from the wheel f is provided with a spur-gear f that meshes with a gear-wheel f movablyinounted in a slotted arm f of the casting A lever f is pivoted upon casting f and conwith an indicatingpointeror hand f adapted V to pass over the suitable scale plate f mounted above the wheel f". A coiled spring f surrounds the shaft of the wheel f and is connected to the arm f so that the said wheel f when released from the spur f 5 after being rotated will return to its normal position with the indicating-arm f pointing to zero upon the scale f By this meansthe indieating device may be set at zero after each bolt has been measured, and thus obviate the necessity of subtracting two results indi-. cated upon the scale one from the other, the armf indicating the exact amount of each sale. the said measuring-rollers by the windingroller E. This roller E is provided at each end with a trunnion or journal One of said trunnions is mounted in the socketed end 6'' of the adjustable rod c which in turn is mounted in a metallic sleeve e secured in one of the standards 12 The said rod 6 is adj ustably mounted in a sleeve 6 a setscrew 9 passing through said sleeve outside of the standard Z7 and engaging said rod. The journal e upon the opposite end of the roller E is provided with a knuckle-joint e and has its outer end rigidly mounted in a socketed rod e by set-screws e'. The outer end of said rode is provided with a spurgear 6 which meshes with a large gear-wheel e journaled upon the standard 6 Said gear-Wheel e is provided with a crank-handle 6 whereby said roller E may be operated to draw the material being measured through the roller E. For rebolting purposes we provide the upper end of the standard b with a suitable journaled winding board or slot H, adapted to clamp the board ordinarily employed for bolting cloth between said standards, so that the cloth may be removed from said board and wound upon a roller below.

By the employment of our invention the goods are fully protected from dust or from excessive light to fade them and at the same time are always ready for examination or sale by simply unwinding them from therespective rollers upon which they are mounted and passing them through the measuring-rollers upon the auxiliary frame. When a sale is The cloth is caused to' pass between 7 to be made, the goods are first passed between the rollers D and then wound upon the roller E until the desired quantity is indicated upon the scale-disk f. The roller E is then removed by slipping the adjustable rod 9 longitudinally out of engagement with the journaled end 6 and the cloth slid from said roller to be wrapped. By our improved measuring attachment the goods may be reeled off and measured much more readily than by the employment of the yard-stick and at the same time wound in a very compact form ready for wrapping.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a cloth-holding apparatus, the com bination with a main frame, of brackets mounted thereon and each provided with a journal-engaging wing adapted to turn up or down at will, spring-rollers having angular journal ends mounted in said brackets, and

adapted to be engaged by said wings to cause the winding of the springs, or disengaged from the same to permit the free rotation of the rollers, substantially as described.

2. In a cloth-holding apparatus, the combination with a supporting-frame, of journalbrackets mounted thereon, pivot-rods having journal engaging wings mounted in said brackets, spring-rollers having angular journal ends also mounted in said brackets, and pivot-rods having journal-engaging wings mounted on the ends of said rollers; the construction and operation being such that the pivoted rods may turn to permit the rollers to rotate freely in the supporting-brackets, or to rotate against the tension of the springs therein, substantially as described.

3. In a cloth-holding apparatus, the combination with a supporting-frame, of journalbrackets mounted thereon, spring-rollers having angular journal ends mounted in said brackets, pivot-rods having journal-engaging Wings lying on the ends of said rollers, and means mounted upon the brackets and adapted to engage the angular journal ends of the rollers or be disengaged therefrom at will, substantially as described.

4. In a cloth measuring and bolting apparatus, the combination with a suitable main frame, of cloth-holdin g rollers mounted thereon, an auxiliary frame mounted on the main frame, measuring-rollers mounted on said auxiliary frame, measuring-gearing connected to said rollers, a movable index-carrying gear, means for throwing the same into or out of mesh with the measuring-gears, and a spring for returning said movable gear to its original position when disengaged from the measuring-gears, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS F. APPERSON. CHARLES H. DORSEY.

IVitnesses:

H. V. MUSE, J. A. AKIN. 

